Washington Gov. Gregoire Signs Bills Overhauling Elections

On Tuesday, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signed eight election reform bills leading a major overhaul of Washington's election system. These measures, including five recommendations by the Governor's bipartisan Election Reform Task Force, make substantial improvements in Washington's electoral process. Secretary of State Sam Reed and many state legislators joined Gregoire to celebrate a better future for Washington voters.

"We had a difficult and very close election last year," said Gov. Gregoire. "Because of its closeness, we all learned a lot about how our state's elections operate. Some things worked very well. There were problems in other areas. With these new laws we take major steps to restore the public's confidence in the state's voting process."

• The election overhaul guarantees voters that:
• There will be a voter-verifiable paper trail for electronic voting machines.
• Voters will be notified by the county elections office by phone if there is a problem with a signature.
• Identification will be required for all poll voters, or signature verification via provisional ballot for those who do not have identification.
• People who vote more than once will face tougher penalties.
• Election workers will be trained to do signature verification.
• Reviews of every county elections office will be conducted by the Secretary of State every three years.
• A manual of election laws and rules will be produced to promote standardization and statewide uniformity.
• Counties have the option of converting entirely to vote-by-mail.
• Military and out-of-state voters will find it easier to vote by mail.

The statewide voter registration database is strengthened, requirements for person to register are clarified, and penalties are created for registering to vote without the proper requirements.

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